AN: Helloooo everyoneeee! Your author here greets you all with a great weekend!
I hope our friends staying in the Middle East are all safe despite the ongoing tension in the region.
Let's all hope this will end soon and peace will prevail!
Anyways, here is another chapter for this fic! I hope you all like what has happened so far.
I love to hear what you think, so share it in the comments!
And it will be even better if you leave some treats(Reviews & ratings)~.
That's all from me~
See you all tomorrow!
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Seiryuu City, DesuMachi Planet…
"Ehh… Hachiman-san, are you alright?"
Hachiman blinked out of his thoughts at the sound of his name. When he looked up, Zena was standing there, holding two glasses filled with drinks, with a worried expression.
"A-hah-haha… Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about the future a little."
He slipped his terminal back into his pocket, forcing a small smile.
"I see…" Zena blinked before nodding gently. "So even someone as strong as you still worries about what's ahead."
"Well," he said with a faint shrug, "strength doesn't let you avoid everything."
'Like how my dark history is being written right now under a guise of romantic story... sniff.'
She let out a small giggle and handed him one of the glasses. He accepted it, their fingers brushing for a brief second before they both looked away.
They stand side by side, the cool evening breeze brushing past them, while laughter from inside the hall can be heard. After fidgeting for a moment, Zena gathered her courage and stepped a little closer to him.
"By the way, Hachiman-san… about us accompanying you, Mei-san, and everyone on your journey… there's been a small change." She rubbed the back of her head awkwardly.
"Hmm? What happened?"
"Because of the ant monsters' attack today… There are a lot of injured soldiers. The Earldom is short on manpower since many are still stationed at the Labyrinth. Commander Heinz requested the Earl to reassign some people for territorial defense."
"I see…" Hachiman's gaze sharpened slightly. "Then… your group?"
Zena nodded softly.
"So Iona-san, Lilio, and Ruu were called back. I'm the only one who'll be able to accompany you and everyone else."
"Huh… I understand Knight Heinz's concerns. Protecting the people of Seiryuu Earldom comes first." Hachiman gave a slow nod. "Besides, having you is already more than enough as our guide."
"…Ehh?"
"It might be a little bad for Iona, Lilio, and Ruu to say this, but..." he continued honestly, "I'm actually more comfortable having you with us."
"E-ehhh…Ehhh?!"
"Plus, Sora and Kagura like you a lot. Pochi, Tama, Liza, and Fran trust you, too. You were the one who stepped in to save them at the square, remember?"
He nodded to himself, completely missing how red Zena's face was becoming.
"So to me, Mei, Ruan Mei, and Patricia-san, the four of us actually feel more at ease leaving the kids with you. Really. You're more than enough for us."
"I-I… I…!"
"Hmm?"
By now her face was bright red, and Hachiman vaguely wondered if she had a fever.
"THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME!! I'LL GO BACK INSIDE FOR A MOMENT!!"
"Haah? Okay…?"
—-
Hachiman watched, slightly confused, as the flustered Zena disappeared back into the hall. He had barely processed what had just happened when a small presence silently approached his side.
"…Hachiman."
"Woaah—?! Eh… Mia? Do you need something?"
He almost jumped out of his skin.
'When did she get there?!'
"Thank you for protecting me."
Her voice was soft, but her hands were lightly clenched at her sides.
Hachiman blinked once, then gave her a gentle smile.
"You're welcome, Mia. I just did what anyone would do."
Mia shook her head softly.
"Not anyone."
She took a small step closer, looking up at him with clear, unwavering eyes.
"Let me thank you properly…"
She straightened her back, as if standing before an audience.
"I am the youngest elf of Bolenan Forest, Misanaria Bolenan, daughter of Lamisauya and Lilinatoa. Hero Hachiman, I offer you my sincere gratitude."
Before he could respond, she gently pulled him and rose on her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.
Hachiman froze.
"…Eh?"
A faint warmth lingered where her lips had touched.
[Title Acquired: Friend of the Elves]
—--
Hachiman went to find Yusaratoya to inform him that they would be taking Mia to the elves' village. Since Mia herself wanted to go with them, the permission came far more easily than he had expected.
Their conversation, however, was… brief.
"Yuya."
"What?"
"Going home."
"I'll take you."
"It's fine."
"You'll be okay?"
"With Hachiman."
"…I see."
'I really wish they'd use full sentences,' Hachiman thought flatly.
Yusaratoya then stepped forward and clasped Hachiman's hand tightly. Arisa, who witnessed that solemn exchange, let out an excited squeak that startled the other kids.
"Will you?"
"Take Mia home? Of course. I was already planning to pass by the old capital. It's close enough."
"…I see."
Still holding Hachiman's hand with both of his, the store manager straightened his back.
"I, Yusaratoya of Bolenan Forest, implore you, Hero Hachiman. Please take Misanaria, child of Bolenan Forest, safely back to our homeland."
Hachiman met his gaze and gave a small nod.
"Yeah. Leave it to me."
And with that simple promise, it was settled.
—--
The next morning, Hachiman and his party prepared to leave Seiryuu City and continue their journey. Their route was already decided—they would first stop at the Ougoch Duchy to meet the current king of the Shiga Kingdom, then escort Mia back to Bolenan Forest before finally heading toward Labyrinth City.
At the moment, the group was finishing breakfast when the dining hall doors opened, and Patricia stepped inside with Lulu following behind her.
"Lady Mei, the goods we brought yesterday have been delivered."
"It already came? That was early."
Mei paused mid-bite and started to rise, intending to inspect the shipment herself, but Patricia gently stopped her.
"I have already checked everything, Lady Mei. All items were delivered correctly and are in proper condition."
Mei relaxed and smiled.
"Ahahaha… as expected of you, Patricia-san. Everything runs smoothly when you're around."
"Thank you for your kind words, but this is simply part of my duty." She gave a graceful curtsey. "It is only natural for those who served the Nameless to maintain such standards."
"Still, don't overwork yourself, okay? If something's too much, you can ask for help," Mei reminded her gently.
"T-that's right, Patricia-san! You can rely on me, too!" Lulu chimed in, puffing out her chest proudly.
"I am also prepared to assist, Miss Patricia. I do remind," Nana added calmly.
"Don't worry, Lady Mei, I shall keep myself in check and remain mindful," Patricia replied. She then turned to Lulu and Nana with a softer expression. "And I will properly rely on both of you as well, Lulu-san, Nana-san."
"Well, as long as you remember that," Mei said with a satisfied smile.
"Yes! Leave it to me, Patricia-san!" Lulu declared enthusiastically, while Nana gave a small but firm nod of agreement.
"So that means our preparations are complete?" Hachiman asked, glancing around the table. "We should be able to depart before lunch?"
"Yes!!"
Bright voices answered him at once.
After breakfast, everyone returned to their rooms to gather their belongings. Not long after, Earl Seiryuu arrived at the villa, accompanied by Viscount Velton and Nebinen, the Garleon Priest who had fought beside Mei during the Labyrinth incident. They had come personally to bid their farewells.
"Hero Hachiman, once again, thank you for everything you have done for my city," Earl Seiryuu said sincerely as he grasped Hachiman's hand. "You and your party have saved us more than once."
"Please, Earl. We only did what we believed was right," Hachiman replied with politeness.
When they released their handshake, Viscount Velton stepped forward.
"Hero-sama, Mei-sama. I, too, wish to offer my heartfelt thanks. You saved not only me, but also my daughter Rina during the Labyrinth." He bowed deeply. "My house will never forget this. Should you ever require assistance, we will answer without hesitation."
"Ahaha… Viscount Velton, as Hachiman said, we simply acted according to our hearts. So please, you don't have to feel so burdened by it," Mei replied with a slightly embarrassed smile.
The Viscount only smiled at the two before bowing once more and giving way to Nebinen.
"Hero-sama, Mei-sama… You may be tired of hearing this," Nebinen said with a gentle smile, "but like the Viscount-sama and Earl-sama, I also wish to offer my thanks. You protected this city from the hands of demons. I shall pray for your mission to proceed safely."
"Thank you, Nebinen-san," Hachiman replied with a small nod.
With that, the Earl, Viscount Velton, and Nebinen stepped back and watched as Hachiman and his group boarded the carriage that would take them out of the city.
"Mei-sama!!!! Hachiman-sama!!! Sora-sama!!! Ruan Mei-sama!!!!! Until we meet again!!!!!!"
"May you have a safe journey, Sensei!!"
Auna and Yukel's voices rang out as the carriage rolled away from the villa. The servants lined up neatly, bowing deeply. A few of them discreetly wiped at their eyes.
Mei leaned slightly out the window, waving warmly. "Take care of yourselves, okay?"
Sora leaned out beside her, grinning. "We'll come visit again!"
As the carriage moved through the streets, citizens who had heard of their departure gathered along the road.
"Thank you for saving my son!"
"Please come back anytime, Hero-sama!"
"Safe travels!"
"We won't forget what you did for us!"
Hachiman scratched his cheek awkwardly but gave them a small wave. "Take care of your city," he muttered under his breath.
When they reached the gates, Knight Thorne and the soldiers stationed there stood in perfect formation. At once, they saluted.
No one moved.
They held their salute until the carriage carrying Hachiman and the others disappeared beyond the horizon.
—----
A distance away from Seiryuu City, out on the open plains, the carriage carrying Hachiman and the others came to a stop. They were waiting for the supply drop Elysia had sent from the Express.
"...I still can't believe it. To think that Hachiman-san's friends would cross worlds just to help you is simply… beyond anything I could imagine."
Zena spoke in open disbelief, her eyes fixed on him.
"I doubt any of us would have believed such a fairytale," Tinasha added with a sigh. Even she sounded shaken by the idea.
"Hehehe~ Just wait, Zena-nee, Tina-nee! When you see Noah-nii's magical train and his giant battleship, you'll understand!" Sora puffed her chest proudly.
Since the locals would now be traveling with them, there was no longer any reason to hide the Express. Hachiman had already explained everything—at least, the parts they needed to know.
"...So Master is actually an alien?" Arisa muttered with a faint "Fuee…" expression.
As the only modern person reincarnated into this world, even she was struggling to process it.
After a few minutes, Fran's ears twitched. A second later, Pochi and Tama followed as well. All three looked up toward the same point in the sky.
"...Something is coming."
"A star is falling nanodesu!"
"There! Over there!"
They followed the direction the three pointed toward. High above them, the supply drop was descending from the sky.
After a moment, the protective outer armor detached midair, revealing a sturdy crate with a cheerful Homu bunny painted on its surface. A parachute was deployed shortly after, slowing its descent.
Within minutes, the crate landed just a few meters away from Hachiman and the others with a solid thud.
Without hesitation, Hachiman, Mei, Sora, Ruan Mei, and Patricia walked toward it. The others exchanged glances before quickly following behind.
As soon as Hachiman stepped within range, a small holographic screen appeared to life in front of him. A familiar pink-haired girl appeared with a bright smile.
[Moshi mosh~ This is Elysia at the Express. Hachiman, can you please confirm that you have safely received the supply drop?]
"Yes, we got it safely. Thanks for that, Elysia."
[That's great! Looks like Hii and Noah's adjustment to the GPS tracker worked perfectly!]
[Of course it worked! I'm the one who calibrated it!]
Hearing Herta's proud declaration made Mei and Sora laugh, while Hachiman couldn't help but grin.
"Looks like you're in high spirits as always, Herta," Ruan Mei said lightly, adjusting her hold on Kagura.
[Hmmp! Haven't I always been like this? Tell me, who else in the entire universe can multitask on my level?]
[Yes, yes. Hii is the greatest. Hii is the best. No need to repeat it every five seconds.]
Elysia rolled her eyes, clearly used to Herta's endless self-praise.
[Anyway~ Hachiman, inside that supply drop is the thing you requested from Hajime, including all the items for Kagura-chan and Ruan Mei's lab.]
"Yeah. I'll thank Hajime later. Also, I'm sending the horses we brought with us to the Express. Please keep them there until I can return them to the Earl."
[Sure~ Just send them to the Launch Point. We'll take care of everything.]
With a playful wink, Elysia closed the holographic window. A second later, with a soft fuussh, the supply crate split open.
Inside was… a wagon.
A perfectly ordinary-looking wagon. The kind you would expect to see anywhere in a medieval fantasy world.
"Huh? A wagon?" Arisa voiced what everyone else was thinking.
"Fufufu! While you're right, Arisa-chan… you're also completely wrong!" Sora declared, crossing her arms in a dramatic 'X'.
"What looks like a normal wagon is actually packed with technology you wouldn't even dream of in this world!"
Taking the lead, Sora guided the DesuMachi locals toward it. She circled the side, tapping here and there until—
"Found it!"
She pressed a hidden switch.
With a mechanical click, the panel at the side door unfolded and extended into a ladder.
The Zena, Tinasha, Arisa, Lulu, Nana, and beastkin girls exchanged uncertain looks before following the excited Sora inside.
The moment they stepped in, they froze.
"…What is this…?"
"J-just what kind of magic is this?!" Tinasha shouted, unable to hide her shock.
The inside was nothing like what anyone would expect from the outside.
It was spacious enough to fit all of them comfortably. Large sofas that could easily seat twenty people. A long dining table built for the same number. An elegant kitchen fully equipped with modern appliances and cooking tools. There was even a master bedroom big enough for five people, complete with its own attached bathroom.
"There's even a second floor?!" Arisa's eyes widened the moment she noticed the staircase leading upward.
On the second floor, a hallway lined with rooms stretched out—enough to house around twenty people. At the end stood a massive bathroom with a wide bathtub that could probably fit the entire group if they tried. Another staircase led up to the attic.
There, a thick reinforced door stood quietly, labeled:
Ruan Mei's Laboratory.
"This is good. Everything I need is here." Ruan Mei adjusted her sleeve slightly. "Herta must have assisted with the setup."
After a brief inspection, she gave a satisfied nod.
Back on the ground floor, Tinasha slowly sank onto one of the sofas, her legs finally giving out from the shock.
"I-is this… perhaps the Space-Time Magic mentioned in ancient legends?"
Hachiman strolled casually as he inspected each corner with a scrutinizing expression.
"Hmm, everything seems to be fine. Looks like Hajime outdid himself again."
"Yeah… it feels too luxurious… I just hope Captain isn't crying over the expenses for this," Mei said beside him with a small sigh, already imagining Noah staring at the bill.
In reality, when Noah reviewed the total cost of this wagon, he nearly had a heart attack from the number of zeroes on the bill. For a solid five minutes, he questioned Hajime's sanity and his audacity to request approval.
"Don't worry about that. I chipped in as well," Hachiman told Mei casually.
Fifty-five percent of the wagon was built using materials Hachiman had procured—more specifically, resources gathered from the same stock the scalekins are using in the reconstruction of the destroyed Dragon God Palace. In other words, he hadn't spent a single coin.
Which meant Noah had to shoulder the remaining forty-five percent for the wagon's construction. Everything modern inside, the defensive systems, the kitchen equipment, and all the finishing touches, has to be paid for by Noah.
Somewhere far away, the Captain stared at the updated Express budget and felt his soul leave his body for a moment.
'I-it's f-fine! R-really! This could be considered as my wedding gift to Hachi,' Noah told himself while silently cursing Hajime.
So in the end, while coughing up blood, he approved the expense anyway.
After inspecting the inside of the wagon, Hachiman stepped back outside and picked up the four red-and-white balls placed at the driver's seat.
"Alright… time to come out, Horsies."
Under everyone's curious gaze, he tossed the balls forward. They burst open midair, releasing what was sealed inside. Four golems shaped as horses materialized before them, their bodies sturdy and polished.
"Waaah!!! New golems, yay!!" Sora rushed toward them immediately, circling each one with twinkling eyes.
Hachiman gave a small nod, satisfied.
"Two of them will pull the wagon. Then the other two will be ridden by guards."
"Master, I will take one and act as guard," Liza volunteered without hesitation.
"Then I shall take the remaining position, I volunteer," Nana added smoothly.
"…Okay."
Hachiman considered it briefly before agreeing.
'They're more than capable of handling normal bandits,' he thought.
He then sent the original horses that had been pulling their previous carriage back to the Express. Moments later, Elysia sent confirmation that the horses had arrived safely. Then he had the carriage they had been using stored in his system's inventory.
Once everything was set, their new journey resumed.
Hachiman took the driver's seat, with Zena sitting beside him. With a light tug on the control reins, he commanded the golem horses to move.
"So, what's our first stop, Zena-san?" he asked, glancing at her.
"Our first stop will be the second-largest town in Kuhanou Earldom. It's the closest major town to Seiryuu City," Zena answered with a gentle smile. She held the map entrusted to her by Earl Seiryuu, carefully guiding their route.
"Hoo… so anything special about that town?" Hachiman asked casually.
"Well… It's mostly just a normal trading town. Nothing particularly remarkable," Zena explained. "But from what I've heard, it's near a forest called the Forest of Illusion. They say a witch lives there."
"A witch, huh? Like Tinasha?" Hachiman glanced back briefly.
Tinasha, who overheard her name, raised a brow. "Please do not lump me together with random forest dwellers!"
"I… see?" Hachiman muttered and then tilted his head. "...So even witches have standards?"
Earning a laugh from everyone.
"Look's like our journey will be quite interesting," he added in his usual flat tone.
Zena let out a helpless laugh. "Only you, Hachiman-san, would think meeting a witch sounds interesting."
He shrugged lightly.
"It's not that I want to. I'm just sure I'll get dragged into it somehow." He looked up at the sky with tired eyes. "Trouble and I have a long-standing relationship."
Zena giggled softly at that.
"Still, whatever comes, I'll deal with it."
"Not 'I,' Hachiman-san. 'We.'" Zena corrected gently, smiling at him. "We'll face it together."
For a brief second, his eyes widened. Then he laughed.
"Ahahaha… Right. Of course."
The wagon continued forward, rolling toward their next destination.
And just like that, Team Ash-Born quietly closed one chapter of their journey—ready to turn the page to the next.
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